Can Sweden push Abbas into renewing the peace process?

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to arrive in Sweden Monday, at the invitation of the Swedish government.

This is Abbas's first state visit to Sweden since the Scandinavian nation surprised the world by officially recognising the state of Palestine earlier this year.

Abbas will meet the Swedish king and prime minister and is expected to spend Tuesday morning in talks at the foreign office. A co-operation agreement will also be signed.

Israel has protested against the visit. The country's ambassador to Stockholm, Isaac Bachman, wrote in an opinion piece published in newspaper Svenska Dagbladet that if Abbas is serious about brokering peace, then he should be travelling to Jerusalem and not Stockholm.

Radio Sweden spoke to Björn Brenner of the Swedish Defence Academy about what impact Abbas' visit may have. Brenner's Phd focused on Palestinian politics.

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